Whole and Organic Food for Toddlers

When you shop for food, remember that the closer you are to the source, the fresher, more flavorful and more nutritious it will be.

Walking down a supermarket aisle (with or without a toddler) can be daunting — there are so many choices, including prepackaged miracle meals in minutes that are hard to resist. But when you're feeding the toddler you love (or anyone, for that matter) your best bet is to start with the freshest (tastiest) and most wholesome foods around. Obvious stuff to avoid: chemicals, preservatives, artificial flavors and colors, and too much sodium and sugar. Some more rules to shop by:

Look locally. It's no secret that farm-fresh produce tastes better (and contains more nutrients) than fruits and veggies that come from far (sometimes very far) away. Find out whether there's a cooperative in your area. You pay for a share and get fresh (often organic) produce once a week, sometimes delivered right to your door. (But keep in mind: Fresh-frozen vegetables often have the same nutrients and rich taste as fresh, local varieties — and they're already washed and sliced!)

Understand organic. Here's the deal: Organic foods are guaranteed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to be free of toxic pesticides, fertilizers, hormones, antibiotics and genetic modifiers. Eating organic food doesn't guarantee freshness or scientifically proven nutritional benefits, but it does reduce the intake of potentially harmful chemicals. Organics range from meat and poultry (note that free range does not mean organic) to produce, cereals and dairy. A word to the wise: Certain fruits and veggies have been identified as the ones most likely to contain pesticides, so whenever possible, opt for organic on these: strawberries, spinach, nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery, potatoes and sweet bell peppers. The fruits and vegetables least likely to have pesticide residues are avocados, sweet corn, cabbages, onions, frozen sweet peas, papayas, asparagus, eggplants, honeydews, kiwi, cantaloupes, cauliflower, broccoli, mangoes and pineapple.

Prepare to prepare. Cooking basic food from scratch isn't as hard as you might think! If you can boil water you can make pasta. If you can turn on your oven you can roast a chicken. The advantage of making your own food is that you know what goes into your meals (and what doesn't). Your own whole-wheat noodles and real cheddar cheese is a lot healthier than a box of scary-hued mac and cheese labeled with a list of weird words. Homemade chicken nuggets baked with whole-grain bread crumbs may not come in funny shapes, but they're a whole lot better than the fried and frozen versions.

Some big no-no's. There's just no reason to fill your child with artificial and/or grown-up additives like aspartame (Equal or NutraSweet), Olestra (fake fat used in some potato chips) or caffeine (check sodas, chocolate and coffee-flavored products). And of course, avoid any foods or drink containing alcohol, which can be toxic to toddlers.

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect the Second Year. Health information on this site is based on peer-reviewed medical journals and highly respected health organizations and institutions including ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists), CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics), as well as the What to Expect books by Heidi Murkoff.